Automatic musical instrument



July 28.` 1925.

J. H. DICKINSON MAI/V5 auvents:

Patented July 28, i925.

UNITED STATES artnr onirica.

Josera HUNTER montrent or Lei-teamone new remi. estrenos To THE asomanCOMPANY, A QRPDRATIQN 0F CONNECTIICT- AUTOMATC MUSICAL ,INSTRUMENTApplication filed `April 20, 1921. ASerial No. 452,9()2.

My present invention relates to automatic musical instruments and moreparticularly .to automatic brake-means vfor electric-motor vdrivenrotary-:fan suction, or wind-inducing devices. lThis brake automaticallystops further rotation .of the fan (as soon as the current to theelectric-motor is 'interrupted either manually by the operator or`automatically from the tracker-board of the player-piano or similarautomatic musical instrument, thereby preventing the dyingout noisesfrom .the'ian which other-wise occur.

'The ligure in the ,accompanying diagram- `matic drawing shows a windinducing device embodying the ,present invention, the figure being avertical cross-section partly in elevation of said device.

l will now describe my invention spe- A-cifioa'lly by reference -to ltheaccompanying Cil drawing.

l` .is an Velectric-insitois having' a atan -2 O11- its-shaft 3, thewhole bei-ng properly mounted within a metal casing l, having thetransverse partition 5 partially separating t-he fan from the spaceoccupied by the mot-or.

The automatic action of the player piano is supposed to be connected bya tube or pipe (not shown) to the neck 6 which surrounds an opening intothe motor-chamber of the device. Also the fan 2 in this particularinstance is supposed to be a suction-fan arranged to exhaust the airfrom the automatic action by way of said neck 6 and deliver it out ofthe casing 4 to the atmosphere by way of the necked-opening 7 asindicated by the arrows.

8 is a wheel or disc secured on the shaft 3 against which the brakingaction is adapted to take place.

9 is a suitably supported motor-pneumatic whose movable board 9aoperates to apply or withdraw a brake-shoe 10 to the wheel 8.

1l is a light butterfly spring acting between a lined support 12 and themovable board 9u of the pneumatic tending to keep the brake-shoe out ofcontact with the wheel.

18 is a valve-box having an .exhaust chainber 14: separated by adiaphragm 15 from the Ydiaphragm chamber 16; `17' is a tube connectingsaid Lchamber '14 with the motoror suction-chamber `18 of theair-tension inducing device. '19 is a bleed-hole connecting thesuction-chamber 14: with the diaphragm chamber 16.

I20 is a cylindrical passage controlled byv the double-valve 21-'22 onthe diaphragm 15. 23 is a tube and duct connection between the'brake-operating vpneumatic 9 and the side oit the aforesaid passage 20.

I 2l is a tube and duct connection from kthe f diaphragm .chamberl tothe atmosphere.

25 is a metal lever fnlcrumed at 26 supporting a sott pad .or button 27adapted to seal the .mouth of the tube 24: when the lever is in itsfull-line position and toopen it when in its dotted position 25a. y

128 is a stationary metal button with which the metal lever 25 lis inIelectrical .contact when in its full-line position. v The wires 29, 30,31 .electrically ,connect Vthe .mains with .the motor '1 by way `of thelever l25 and ,Contact 28, said lever ,acting as a switch.

The operation is as toll-owe: 'The lever 25 being Vin'itsV -tullfli-neposition, theyelectric motor f1 will tbe in operation and lthe atan 2will exhaust the ,chamber 18 and :the player action, etc., connected tosaid chamber by the neck 6. The valve chamber 14 will also be exhaustedVvia the tube 17, as well as the diaphragm chamber 16 via the bleed 19.Therefore, the valve 21-22 will be in their down l position as shown,with the valve 21 shutting 0E the atmosphere from the pas sage 20 andwith the valve 22 connect-ing the suction in chamber lll to said passage20, tube 23 and the brakeeoperating pneumatic 9. In short, saidmotor-pneumatic 9 has substantially the same air tension upon it insideand outside, so that it is inert with the spring 11 lightly holding thebrake-shoe 10 out of contact with the wheel 8.

The above condition persists until it is desired to stop the instrumentwhereupon the lever 25 is either manually or automatically swung intoits dotted position 25a. This breaks the electric-motor circuit by saidlever swinging-away from the contact 28. Also the momentum of the motorand fan is immediately checked and further rotation stopped as follows:As soon as said lever NVE 25 is moved away from themouth of the tube 24,atmospheric air rushes into the diaphragm chamber 16, lifts thediaphragm or pouchv 15, seats the valve 22 against the lower port of thepassage 20 and opens the valve 21, whereupon atmospheric air now.

rushes into said lpassage 20, tube 23 and motor-pneumatic 9 and forciblyexpands it,

carrying the shoe 10 into braking contact with the wheel 8 and stoppingfurther rotation of themotor and fan. i

The suction having ceased, the atmospheric air fills the container 4:through the neck 7, whereupon, because there is now the sameair-pressure inside and outside the pneumatic 9, Ythebraking `action ofthe shoe 10 on the wheel is released, and the electric` motor is free tostart up again unimpeded whenever the lever 25 is swung back to itsfull-line position.

Obviously, changes can be made in the foregoing devices in kind,form,ulocation and the like without departing from the essence andspirit of my invention as disclosed in the foregoing specification andthe annexed claims, and as such, `said changes are intended to becovered thereby.

What I claim is: i

1. In combination with an electric-motordriven wind-inducing device forautomatic musical instruments, a brake for stopping' and operative,whensaid member is in one position, to substantially balance saidpneumatic Ipressures acting on the motor-pneumatic and thereby permitthe retracting means to hold the brake in non-braking position, andoperative, when said member is in another position, to overbalance oneof said y pressures and thereby cause the. motor-pneumatic to overcomethe retractlng means and to actuate the brake into brake applying poasition.

Y 2. In combination with an electric-motordriven'wind-inducing devicefor automatic musical instruments, a brake for stopping the rotation ofsaid device, a motor-pneumatic operatively connected to the brake andhaving its exterior exposed to the pressure existing at the suction sideof said device, means for controlling the supply of motive current tothe electric motor of said device,

and valve means governed by said controlling means and operative, whenthecontrol- .ling means is in one position, tocause exhausting of airfrom the interior of the moa tor-pneumatic whereby the pressure withinit` will substantially balance the pressure aoting on the exteriorthereof in consequence of which `the brake will not be actuated intobraking-position, and operative, when the controlling means 1s 1nanother position, to

admit atmospheric pressure-to the interior of the motor-pneumaticwhereby the :pressure within it will overbalancethe pressure into itsbrake-applying position.

'In testimony whereof I have signed my acting on the exterior thereof,in consen quence of which the brake will be-actuated name to thisspecification this 18th day of April, 1921. A, y i i l JOSEPH HUNTERDIGKINSON.

